Alignment devices and methods
AssigneeJace Medical, LLC
InventorsScott Steffensmeier, Jason F Detweiler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment guide system is disclosed that includes a first alignment guide and a second alignment guide. The first and second alignment guides are adapted to couple to plates affixed to a bone or other body part and guide the plates together to close a resection or opening in the bone or other body part. The alignment guide system allows for an easy one person closure of the resection or opening in the bone or other body part.
Claims18
A system for guiding alignment of fixation devices,
- comprising:
- a first alignment guide including a first retention mechanism adapted to couple the first alignment guide to a first fixation device on a first side of a cut body part, and a protrusion having a conical shape that extends from a first face of the first alignment guide;
- and
- a second alignment guide including a second retention mechanism adapted to couple the second alignment guide to a second fixation device on a second side of the cut body part, and an alignment aperture in a second face of the second alignment guide adapted to receive the protrusion, wherein the first and second alignment guides assist in aligning the first fixation device with the second fixation device to close the cut body part.
A device for guiding alignment of a fixation device, comprising:
- a body portion;
- a protrusion having a conical shape that extends from a face of the body portion, and that is adapted to engage an aperture of second device;
- and
- a retention mechanism including a pivot member pivotably coupled to the body portion and having an engagement member adapted to engage a first fixation device when the pivot member is in a closed position, and couple the device to the first fixation device on a first side of a cut body part.
A device for guiding and aligning two pieces of a fixation device, comprising:
- a first guide having a first pair of gripping elements movably coupled to the first guide and adapted to be movable between a first open position and a first closed position, in the first closed position, the first pair of gripping elements being adapted to releasably hold a first piece of the fixation device, wherein the first guide includes a protrusion having a conical shape that extends from a first face of the first guide;
- and
- a second guide having a second pair of gripping elements movably coupled to the second guide and adapted to be movable between a second open position and a second closed position, in the second closed position, the second pair of gripping elements being adapted to releasably hold a second piece of the fixation device, the first and second guides are adapted to interconnect with one another to bring the first and second pieces of the fixation device into alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.